I am looking for practical help to retrieve documents related to the birth and/or baptism of my great-grand-father Giovanni VOLPIN, from Rovigo (either the city or province) in the Veneto region in Italy.

He emigrated to Brazil, settled in Pedreira - São Paulo state, and died there in 1932 at 77 years of age, meaning he was born in or around 1855 (1854 - 1856).His parents were Paolo VOLPIN and Teresa CAPATO.Upon arrival in Brazil, their first names were changed to João, Paulo, and Theresa.

I have written to the "diocesi di Adria - Rovigo", to cultural centers in the region, but with the data I have they do not seem to be able to locate anything.

We do not know in what year he left Italy and arrived in Brazil, from where he left in Italy (as Veneto is in the north perhaps Venice or Genova), and where in Brazil he arrived (large ports are Santos in the São Paulo area and Rio de Janeiro).

I am wondering whether people have looked in the same area (Rovigo province or Veneto region), and if yes, where you were successful (local administration, church, cultural group, etc.)

In case anybody has experience with the search for documentation regarding people emigrating from Northern Italy (ship registries/documents etc.), that would be helpful as well.

I think Giovanni VOLPIN & Paschôa SANTOLATO who met each other on the boat from Italy (and married in Campinas, São Paulo state) arrived somewhere in Brazil, most likely in Santos (the largest port/harbor).The list you show are from people arriving in Buenos Aires in Argentina. they could have arrived there and moved to Brazil, but I think most people stayed in the country where they arrived.

Calculating the year of voyage:

Giovanni (or João in Brazil) died in 1932 at age 77 (per his Brazilian death certificate).So he was born in or around 1855 (in Rovigo, Italy).Family stories state he emigrated/arrived at the age of 18, so they should have been on a ship in or around 1873, so I am most interested in entry records and/or ship arrival lists from the period 1870 – 1875.

The www.cemla.com website is very useful, however the database starts at year 1882.Very interesting is the fact that it has a link to the website of the museu da imigração www.museudaimigracao.org.br

Unfortunately, the first date of 1871 is 16 years later than his calculated birth date.

Lastly, Rovigo became part of Italy either in 1861 (unification) or 1866 (third Italian war of independence), 6 to 11 years after Giovanni's calculated birth date.I am just wondering what it was considered before, Venice, Austria?

Hi, I checked in "Liste di Leva" ( physical examination for national military service)database for Rovigo and Padova province ( men born from 1846 to 1902) and the results abt all Giovanni Volpin born in the 2 provinces:Surname- First Name- Number- Birth Date-Birth Llace -Province- Birth Year- Commune- Military District- Father Name- Mother Name :

VOLPINI Domenico Giovanni 97,00 25/05/1861 CANDA RO 1861 CANDA BADIA POLESINE Gaetano Contato Maria no one born in 1855....What it is important .. it is to know the birthplace and the parish where your ancestor was baptized; because the civil records starting from 1871, you can obtain just the baptism certificate helpful for dual citizenship, but just the name and probable birth year is no enough for to write in the right parish and to request the baptism certificate... the priest no make the search, just the priest can relay the baptism certificate, but you must provide the basic data: the baptism parish, the birth town and the birth date... regards, suanj

Thank you for sharing this useful new source "Liste di Leva" (physical examination for national military service) database for Rovigo and Padova province (men born from 1846 to 1902). There is so much available these days, you either have to know about it or be told about it by kind people like yourselves! Once I have put some more pieces together myself, I hope I can also be usefull for others searching their roots.

When writing to the "diocese di Adria - Rovigo" I realized it is essential to have the exact birth date and place or birth in order for them to check whether there is a birth record available. I have some leads on this so I hope to get this soon!

Do I understand it correctly that with the exact birth date, the place or birth, and place (and date) of baptism, I can get a baptism certificate which should be helpful (or even enough) for the "full file" to apply for dual citizenship?

Before even considering applying for Italian citizenship, I understand I need the following "full file":

GGGF-Paolo: death certificate (as Rovigo was not Italy in 1855, proving he was alive in 1861/1866 so he could have passed on his Italian citizenship to the minor Giovanni

MY birth certificate.(MY Sons' birth certificates - can they be included in the same application?)

AND, a document from a Brazilian public office that indicates/states that none of the people from Giovanni ("João" in Brazil) althrough myself and my sons were ever nationalized.

Lastly, as you seem to be based in Italy, I was wondering whether you would know sources to check when Rovigo (or even the region of Veneto) became part of Italy; either in 1861 (unification) or 1866 (third Italian war of independence). And perhaps also what it was (considered) just before, so around 1855? Part of the republic of Venice/Venezia, part of the Austrian-Hungarian empire?

As Rovigo was occupied by Italian forces in 1866 during the Third Italian War of Independence, it should have been added to Italy in 1866 or "shorty" after (signing of the treaty agreeing the new borders) - to be found out !

the Veneto region became part of Italy Kingdom in the 3th Indipendence war; the Austrian-Hungarian empire on 24 aug 1866 left the veneto region to Napoleon III° ( France Empire); on 19 oct 1866 the France left Veneto to Italy Kingdom.. so from 19 oct 1866 the Veneto was totally italian.. however the people ethnicity was italian however... so I believe.. you need of these Italian certificates:

Giovanni Volpin baptism certificate by churchPaolo Volpin death certificate by Commune .. ( if he died after 1871 otherwise you need of church death certificate.. but he must be died after the 19 oct 1866!)

and knowing the basic data for to obtain the certificates, the church certificates are helpful for dual citizenship just in the case that the civil records was no started in the Commune; I believe that the Italian Consulate will wish also a official certificate from Commune, stating that in the Commune the civil records started from 1871 .. or so .. because many Communes in the area started the civil records also after 1871... regards, suanj